NEW UN CHIEF KEEPS DISTANCE FROM DEATH PENALTY BAN

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon departed from the traditional UN opposition to the death penalty, saying nations can make their own decision. Asked about the execution of Saddam Hussein, Ban said the former Iraqi leader committed "heinous crimes and unspeakable atrocities against the Iraqi people and we should never forget the victims of these crimes." But he said "the issue of capital punishment is for each and every member state to decide", in conformity with international law. South Korea is among 68 nations that retain the death penalty, although Seoul is considering abolishing it. Groups such as Human Rights Watch have criticized the execution of Saddam, saying it was imposed after a "deeply flawed trial" with political interference. The UN special representative in Iraq, Ashraf Qazi, released a statement on Sunday saying the world body "remains opposed to capital punishment, even in the case of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide." Ban's spokeswoman said "the UN policy still remains that the organization is not for capital punishment."